Peanut Free and Nut Free

Other Food Allergies

Cheesecake factory

We recently ate at a Cheesecake factory, and before we sat down, the manager came over and explained to us that many of their food items are safe, that they do not use peanut oils, that their servers and chefs were very familiar with the allergy, and that they are aware and cautious.

He advised us to stay away from any of the Asian items and stated that there were certain cheesecakes that were nut free. He couldn't say if they were peanut safe, so we did not risk it. We were too stuffed anyway for dessert.

For the New Yorkers here, S&S Cheesecake is peanut and tree nut free. The factory is close to my home, and I've been there and spoken with the staff. They make only two products- plain cheesecake and chocolate mousse cake.My daughter has eaten it with no problem several times, and it is out of this world. It's kosher, too.

We go there a lot and my son always gets a grilled cheese and fries and has never had any problems. The manager always comes out and they also always bring A.J. a plate of orange slices and bananas to tide him over until his food gets there. They call it the "baby plate." He has also eaten the sourdough bread brought to the table without any problems.

Quote:Originally posted by CorinneM1:
[b]We recently ate at a Cheesecake factory, and before we sat down, the manager came over and explained to us that many of their food items are safe, that they do not use peanut oils, that their servers and chefs were very familiar with the allergy, and that they are aware and cautious.

He advised us to stay away from any of the Asian items and stated that there were certain cheesecakes that were nut free. He couldn't say if they were peanut safe, so we did not risk it. We were too stuffed anyway for dessert.[/b]

I was unable to eat at a Cheesecake Factory in Boston and another one in Phoenix. Their menu was too riddled with peanut items.

On another note: you have to be extremely careful with desserts at restaurants/cafes, even if they say the dessert itself is nut or peanut free. If there are desserts with nuts/peanuts on the menu, you need to ask for a slice of NEW/UNCUT dessert using a NEW/CLEAN utensil. I've worked at a few restaurants, and cutting knives and such get reused and thus, cross-contaminate an otherwise safe dessert. It's the same notion as the icecream scoop/new carton method.

Quote:Originally posted by ajgauthier:
[b]On another note: you have to be extremely careful with desserts at restaurants/cafes, even if they say the dessert itself is nut or peanut free. If there are desserts with nuts/peanuts on the menu, you need to ask for a slice of NEW/UNCUT dessert using a NEW/CLEAN utensil. I've worked at a few restaurants, and cutting knives and such get reused and thus, cross-contaminate an otherwise safe dessert. It's the same notion as the icecream scoop/new carton method.

[/b]

completely understand. restaurant waitstaff veteran here. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img] I mean, [i]wonder how many folk would *still* eat out if they had the same experience. [/i] [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/tongue.gif[/img]

my husband always consults with me prior to ordering. I mean, for pointers. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/cool.gif[/img] Sometimes, he orders, I flash him a look, and he tells the waiter, "Scratch that, give me another five minutes..." and we consult again. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img] I mean, allergies aside, there are certain things I just stay away from or wouldn't order. [i]mwhahahahahaha[/i].

yeah...after working in food service (fast food, coffee shop, fancy dessert cafe, 5 star restaurant) you really see some things that make you go, "wow, I am never eating out again". Latex sanitary gloves? don't really make a difference if you ask me...

We have eaten at the one on Michigan Avenue in Chicago and the one at Easton Town Center in Columbus, OH. Both of them were very accomodating and my son had no problems. I think he ate noodles and pizza.

Quote:Originally posted by CorinneM1:
[b]We recently ate at a Cheesecake factory, and before we sat down, the manager came over and explained to us that many of their food items are safe, that they do not use peanut oils, that their servers and chefs were very familiar with the allergy, and that they are aware and cautious.

He advised us to stay away from any of the Asian items and stated that there were certain cheesecakes that were nut free. He couldn't say if they were peanut safe, so we did not risk it. We were too stuffed anyway for dessert.[/b]

This weekend, we booked a hotel room (with a pool [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/cool.gif[/img] ), went shopping and called in advance to a Cheesecake Factory location nearby.

Our experience was similiar. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/cool.gif[/img] (I also contacted corporate in California a week earlier and investigated at that end as well (wrt: food allergies). [i]I[/i] found them very accommodating and informed. I did not get a canned generic response, but rather personal service bordering on, if not what we experienced at Disney.

[i]No complaints here.[/i]

My cubs ordered filets, side dishes, and [i]cheesecake[/i]. The manager and head chef personally oversaw the preparation and cooking of our order. Precautions to avoid cross contamination and label reading from corporate on down to the kitchen were implemented. I was impressed, and believe me, I'm a hard sell. We're nitpicky, particular, neurotic people. We generally keep to ourselves.

Hey, maybe my cubs have [i]outgrown[/i] their allergies, but last time my oldest was recently checked, this was not the assessment. Again, maybe it's changed. Maybe we just lucked out. Maybe I'm a BAD MOMMY. Considering my cubs past reactions. Some of which have caught us completely off-guard. But it worked out for *us*. My cubs had a wonderful experience. Can't speak (or guarantee) for others. IMMV. Maybe I took my childrens' lives into my hands.

General Disclaimer: Maybe situations, practices, menus, ingredients, and individual mileage may vary. I don't know. I investigated for myself and made a decision. It might have been the wrong decision, but personally? It worked out for *us*. Individual Mileage May Vary. Just describing our [b]own personal, highly individual and possibly unique situation[/b]. I could be doing it all wrong. But I'm going to write a letter of thanks to corporate. Can't make recommendation or speak for anyone else.

[This message has been edited by MommaBear (edited November 27, 2005).]

Cheesecake Factory in Minneapolis is the only restaurant that has ever declined to serve me. We were going there for a family function and I called ahead. Spoke with the manager and he stated that due to the variety of items on their menu that the restaurant could not assume any responsibility for the chance of cross-contamination with peanuts and that I should simply avoid eating there. That's customer service.

Quote:Originally posted by stimpsjd:
[b]Cheesecake Factory in Minneapolis is the only restaurant that has ever declined to serve me. We were going there for a family function and I called ahead. Spoke with the manager and he stated that due to the variety of items on their menu that the restaurant could not assume any responsibility for the chance of cross-contamination with peanuts and that I should simply avoid eating there. That's customer service.[/b]

It's an annoying and frustrating response from the manager, but really, wouldn't you rather he/they be honest with you about it rather than give you a false promise of no cross-contamination? For me, I prefer that if they don't feel comfortable guaranteeing a peanut and cross-x meal for me, that they tell me. I'm ok with places telling me it's not safe for me to eat there. It's really their right to refuse to serve, even if it seems unfair to us PA folks.

FWIW, i've always found Cheesecake Factory very accomodating, but it's important to notify them of the allergy *even if you think the food you're ordering should be safe.* We go to the location in Westbury, NY.

My girl always gets penne with butter sauce (ahh, toddler food) and one day at CF, she stuck her fork in and found a whole peanut smack in the middle of her pasta. 8| As it turns out, we hadn't mentioned it that say -- we're there a lot and got to feeling a little too safe -- and the staff was very apologetic. It turns out that pasta is made at stations where various garnishes are available. I wouldn't have dreamed it.

And, go figure, if you don't tell them to be extra-careful, they'll have no reason to think of it...

Anyway, my girl fihed the peanut out with a fork, not her fingers, and showed it to me before she ate anything. No reaction. She got special rewards that day for doing exactly the right thing, and we still go back -- but now she takes extra care to tell them she's allergic to peanuts her own self.

Comfort zones & YMMV, yadda yadda. I'm still comfortable going there, though we order a limited number of things. Some of you might take my story and never go back, though.

My son had his first reaction at The Cheesecake Factory in Minneapolis. He started coughing and sneezing the minute we walked in the door.

We were very new to PA at the time so we stayed. We ended up getting our food to go because his reaction was getting worse. In my opinion I think all the peanut butter contained in the cheesecakes contaminate the entire restaurant. We will not be going there again.

My husband works for CCF, and we will not allow our 4 year PA son to eat there. They have chopped peanuts at every food prep station and store dressings and other foods with peanut ingredients next to non peanut foods. I would not recommend it. THey are very aware and try to be accomodating but why risk it.

Mommabear, I am wondering like Amy what made you feel comfortablae giving your cubs the cheesecake, I do not think Amy meant (but then again I am not Amy so...)that they assured you that it was 100% peanut free, but its apparent that you felt comfortable on some level ( either what youwere told, or saw or was it a new cake they got your pieces from) because you did give it to the kids.

I ate at cheesecake factory once with my non pa dd I liked the idea that they brought out bananas and oranges too.

Quote:Originally posted by patsmommy:
[b] Mommabear, I am wondering like Amy what made you feel comfortablae giving your cubs the cheesecake, I do not think Amy meant (but then again I am not Amy so...)that they assured you that it was 100% peanut free, but its apparent that you felt comfortable on some level ( either what youwere told, or saw or was it a new cake they got your pieces from) because you did give it to the kids.

[/b]

let me think about this. I'm not sure it was a "feel comfortable" decision rather than a "activities of daily living--calculated risk/benefit" thing.
KWIM? I'm not even sure I can put my finger on it, (Big Picture Thing--that includes an inventory of experiences not even related to Cheesecake Factory right down to never having stepped foot inside facilities of just about *all* the suppliers of the food that enters my very home) but for starters, the folk *I* encountered from corporate on down were very [i]professional[/i]. But hey, Individual Mileage May Vary.

Do I think my children (ages 6 and 10) are never going to eat out? I mean, I can think whatever I want, but personally I prefer to be the one to educate my child in the ways of the world rather than leave them to take those first tenuous steps on their own. KWIM? Besides, after working over 12 years in restaurants (maybe more) I've found most restaurant dining experiences to be [i]highly over-rated[/i]. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img]

You know what they say about what you can't have.

You know, I talked to another parent this week regarding a school activity, and I heard over the phone: [i]"Oh! You're (my child's name) mom![/i] My daughter talks about him [i]all the time[/i]. She's crushing on him. Has he mentioned her name?" (just remembered the "has he mentioned her name" part. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] )

He's 10. In the body of a near 15 year old. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/tongue.gif[/img]

His conversations already include visions of a family and a lifestyle and of course, [i]entertainment[/i]. And most likely he will want to take his dates to some of the nicer restaurants. With or without my permission.

Or...............I'll always be happy to provide the warmth and hospitality of our own family dinner table. To him and his guest.

You know, he's already purchased some adorable, velvet lined silver jewelry boxes for some of his "friends" at school for Valentines.

I mean, I'm not talking about giving my cubs "carte blanche" regarding what they want or don't want. I'm talking about "anticipatory guidance". As much as I'd like to *think* telling my children "this is the way it is, the way it will be, and you will thank me", I'm pretty sure it's not *always* going to, or meant to, work [i]that way[/i]. And I'm a control freak. Go Figure.

There's some threads about "teen" years running. A study even. About the incidence of deaths (or injury?--not sure) from food allergies, I mean.

No surprises here. I mean, as a nurse, [i]and a mother[/i], and considering the litany of growing pains, some deadly that occur between these years. I mean, Food Allergies are just [b]one[/b] of the things I'm trying to provide [i]anticipatory guidance[/i] for to my beloved children. I mean, I can't [i]afford[/i] tunnel vision in this arena. And I can't afford to enter the arena last minute, either. Someday, I won't be [i]allowed[/i] into the arena period.

[i]"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." [/i](Proverbs 22:6)

And yes, the manager opened a new cheesecake. Served it himself. That said, I didn't take that as a 100% guarantee either. KWIM?
But hey, maybe that's just me. Maybe it's just my cubs.

General Disclaimer: I am not offering advice in any manner or form. Nada. No way, no how. Just describing my own personal highly individual and possibly unique situation, and who knows,.........potential failure as a parent. Individual Mileage May Vary. And ps.....when I say "I", I sometimes mean "we" as in "hubby and I", but in [i]those[/i] instances, if I say "we", I don't know, it kinda sounds creepy. Like gollum or something. KWIM? [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] So I just say: "I". I just don't want to discount the role my hubby plays in raising our boys. He's done a fine job. And I don't even say (as a mother) "even for a man", [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img] I mean, I don't know if I could do it without him. Which reminds me....I wonder if they are going to play "paintball" today. I mean, not sure if with the holiday they are open......Again, no advice, without proper equipment and training, it can be very dangerous, and even then.....[i]still.[/i]

edit brackets. and ooo. glaring typo highlighted in brackets, even.

[This message has been edited by MommaBear (edited January 16, 2006).]

[This message has been edited by MommaBear (edited January 16, 2006).]

Mommabear I go to resturants all the time with my kids and I always access the desserts, most of the time we do not get them. If they have soft ice cream we always get it, with many questions asked of course.
I think we may have gotten cake from Olive Garden. I went in the kitchen examined the box , ingredients, made them open a fresh one, etc. I saw the kitchens of many resturants, lol I felt comfortable with that cake that day, maybe if i was having a high anxiety day I wouldnt of, kwim?

I think that is so cute that your son is buying valentines! My son just turned 8 and already I am hearing the word crush come from his mouth, but its never him its always another boy or girl has a crush on someone else, lol

I too am thinking about when he gets older and I find myself letting him lead, in resturants, at parties, etc to see how he handles himself in regards to his allergy and just life in general.
I am finding that my younger kids are questioning foods. His 5 year old brother may be his biggest protector, even refusing to sit on a horse named peanut because his brother is allergic

We just got back from eating at a Cheesecake Factory in the Houston area. We went to celebrate a stage performance for DS--and it's day before my 40th birthday--whoo hoo.

We were clear from the beginning about DS' peanut allergy and my shellfish allergy--and how my ana reaction was when the same tongs were used on shrimp as my beef, although my beef was cooked in a safe place (at another restaurant). The staff told us they received a lot of training re: food allergies. She talked with the chef about each thing we wanted.

We hadn't been to a CCF in a year and then had the avocado rolls (and had gone to extra, extra lengths then to make sure they were safe for DS). He obviously didn't dip them in the cashew sauce on that trip.

Today, we were told that they fry them (and everything else) in a blend of canola and peanut oil.

Now, I hadn't heard this before--and had heard that they do NOT use peanut oil. So I'm not sure this is really true. Or that it's true everywhere. But we certainly didn't risk it. The bruschetta was to live for anyway. And DS had sweet corn tamales.

But I thought I'd post this info here so folks would be extra vigilant. I will try to follow up on this later this week and call the restaurant to ask about this. There are certainly many, many things to eat. And we tend not to eat french fries. But those avocado rolls are FAB. And that would be too bad if this were really true.

Quote:Originally posted by McCobbre:
[b]
Today, we were told that they fry them (and everything else) in a blend of canola and peanut oil.[/b]

?!? Really? Please let me know what you find out. When were were there they told us no peanut oil and if they are using a combo oil to fry the rolls, I would think that they would use this same oil combo for everything fried. And my son and daughter have gotten and love the mini cheeseburgers (from the appetizer menu) as a dinner and this comes with a small sampling of fries.

This was the only restaurant we walked out of during our recent trip to America. The manager spoke to us and recommended a couple of items on the menu but there were nuts everywhere. The place was packed solid and dimly lit and my instincts told me to get out fast!

about 1.5 years ago, we were at the mall and DS wanted to eat at the Cheesecake factory. We went in, I spoke with mgr. He brought me a menu and pointed out all the peanut dishes they serve. DS was about 6 at the time and he said, honestly, I will do my best to be sure his meal is prepared to avoid xcontamination, but highly suggested that we eat somewhere else.
I was fine with this, the menu did have a lot of peanut sauces, peanuts in salads etc.
No Cheesecake factory for us!

So, I posted a couple of months ago about my experience in Minneapolis at the CCF. I visited family in Raleigh/Durham, NC this weekend and went to dinner at the Cheesecake factory. I spoke with a "manager" by phone prior to arranging the visit and was assured that I would have no problem finding something on the menu/eating there confidently with my allergy. We waited 1.5 hours to get a table, which wasn't too bad because it's at a wonderful mall. I got to the table and had the absolute worse experience ever with waitstaff and the allergy. The waiter told me that there is no way that they can safely serve me and that it's crazy to think that I could eat there. I asked to see a manager and he started off with somewhat the same approach (I was freaking hungry after waiting so long...) and I asked him if there was anything that I could have. He said probably something that isn't made in the back kitchen, something on the grill would be okay. So I got a steak that was incidentally the worse one I have ever had in my life. My wife had a chicken dish that came with 3 chicken breasts. This is precisely what is wrong with America, the portion control and lack of quality in the food. I just was not impressed and if this is a restaurant that I never step foot in again, I will be happier because of it!

Quote:Originally posted by stimpsjd:
[b]So, I posted a couple of months ago about my experience in Minneapolis at the CCF......(liberal edit)......it's at a wonderful mall.....(liberal edit).......I just was not impressed [/b]